One Night at the Museum

Yesterday, Kate, Andy and I attended a special one-off celebration at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum. Unfortunately, Babe was too ill to attend. Get well soon darling. The exhibition showcased items that were chosen to represent museum collections in Coventry and Warwickshire and was inspired by the BBC ‘A History of the World’ Project and the British Museum.

This was the only time these items, apart from The Sheldon tapestry, were displayed together in one place. The exhibition was also part of the 50th anniversary of the Museum.

We arrive at 6pm and we joined the queue. It was freezing and it began to sleet!!! The queue was beginning to get longer but there was good camaraderie in the air. At 6.30pm the doors opened and we rushed into the warmth.

We were ushered into the stunning glass covered court area where the displays were held. We watched a flint knapping demonstration, wax seal making, tried to find answers to quizzes, listened talks and mingled with other guests. A pity photography was not allowed and also there was no programme. We just moved around.

At exactly 7pm, we were asked to be at the main stage where the host, Annie Othen from BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, tried to inject some enthusiasm to the crowd. A speech was given by the Herbert’s Museum director followed by one from the British Museum director. Then the Royal Shakespeare Co. performed an excerpt from Romeo and Juliet which received a thunderous applause.  

I tried my hand at calligraphy. It was not easy trying to write Old English alphabets using a goose quill and ink. With lots and lots of patience, I managed to write Babe and my name on the parchment paper and brought it home as a souvenir. It was beginning to get crowded so we decided to leave.

Looking at the photographs taken on the night from the BBC website, I regretted leaving early. We missed the live poetry readings from the Coventry Live Poets Society and impromptu performances from The Selectors. How I wish they’d a programme. Anyway, we had an entertaining night out. I was on image 14 on the website showing Andy and Kay my calligraphy work.

The worst thing was that we’d to pay £3.50 for parking. We parked 2 minutes before 6pm. After 6, parking was only 50p. No wonder we saw a few cars parked just outside the barrier. You have been warned…

On Monday, when I arrived for work, yellow fluffy chicks was dotted all over the office. Bunny CC was at work.  Easter had arrived early. Boxes of yummy chocolate eggs was shared and consumed. There goes my diet…

I went for my usual lunch time walk to get rid of the chocolate. The Greylags were having a siesta and the Canadian geese were splashing about in the lake. He was having a whale of a time. I credited the ideas for the shots from Babe. Mwah darling…

At the end of the Old Lake, a heron was standing silently at the water’s edge. It kept on changing its position either standing with neck stretched out, or hunching  down with its neck bent over its chest. A really incredible sight to watch.

I joined my colleagues for another round of badminton after work. FA and MK played in the local league and they were good. It was a challenge playing with them but it really improved my game. We’d a lovely time and TW have booked the courts for next week. Couldn’t wait and get well soon TW. He was the organiser and of all things, he’d sprained his foot.

I attended another vertical search/discovery platform demo. This time from Primo. It was a good demo and easily understood, I’m impressed that he has done his homework and linked the interface with our collections. We saw how the product performed on real-time which was impressive. But as I mentioned before, it wasn’t up to us to choose.

Today was the first of April. The first April Fool joke I heard was when the local radio station, Mercia, reported that  Warwick District Council were planning on changing Warwick's name to 'Peacewick' for Pope Benedict's visit in the Autumn. Imagine Warwick Castle and the University of Warwick getting new names. I was nearly duped by it too. How gullible eh :-)

According to the wisdom of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, if it thunders on All Fool’s Day, it brings good crops of corn and hay.

There was no thunder today except for heavy intervals of cloud burst. But remember, when it rains, April showers bring May flowers, so there’s something to look forward to.

Have a lovely Easter weekend.